CityView Magazine

44 December 2020 ABOVE LEFT, Pan-seared grouper in a dill-butter sauce is paired with pasta in pesto and colorful vegetables. ABOVE MIDDLE, 12-ounce ribeye steak. ABOVE RIGHT, Tiramisu and cheesecake with strawberry purée "Wait!" Derrick said, as he headed back into the kitchen and quickly returned. "A little something extra … cheesecake for Mama!" A little something extra. Isn't that the Luigi's way? And topped with strawberry purée and a birthday candle. "You remembered." I fed the cake to Mama that day, and she enjoyed every bite. It was her last slice of birthday cake. Kindness has a beautiful way of lingering, and I just know one of the reasons Mama loved Luigi's is that the family who started it all were immigrants like her. Kind, hard-working people who wanted to make a good life for their children. Peter Parrous and his wife, Ethel, came to America from Greece. Aer a stint in the military, Pete started the original Luigi's circa 1958 in the 400 block of Hay Street. People came from far and wide to enjoy the spaghetti with a meat sauce based on a recipe from his mother. Other Fayetteville restaurants followed, from pizza to chicken joints, and finally, a new Luigi's in the early '80s. On Aug. 6, 1993, a 22-year-old soldier walked in through the back door wielding a pump shotgun and wearing a hunting vest. He began shooting, killing four people, including Pete and Ethel Parrous. He injured eight others, including the Parrouses' daughter Connie Parrous Kotsopoulos. e tragedy made national news, and the gunman is serving a life sentence. It took some time, but the couple's children have managed to carry on with strength and grace – and the family business continues to evolve, even in these current trying times. e Parrouses' only son, Nick, wears several hats. Watching him create in the kitchen is a wonder to behold – as is his outspoken passion for food and wine. He speaks eloquently about the finer points of their "Beef Program," with the "upper echelon" of hand-cut, aged meats and the history of the wines they offer – nearly 3,000 bottles in two cellars. Nick 's sister Linda Parrous Higgins skillfully works the front of the house. Connie Kotsopoulos is behind the scenes in the office. Her husband, Tony Kotsopoulos, was a mainstay in both the kitchen and dining room for years until his recent retirement at age 70. e family tradition continues with their son-in-law, Nate Ernst, who is assisting in the kitchen and with day-to-day operations. He jokes about "being thrown into the fire" earlier this year, just before the pandemic hit, forcing them all to redefine how they handle business and protect their customers and staff. (Side note: e oldest Poulos sister, Kiki Manis, owns e Coffee Scene locations.) "Our staff becomes part of our family, and that's the way we like it," says Nick. Many of their people don't just stay for years, but for decades. Take Brandon Brown. He started as a busboy at 17 and is now the head cook at age 40. Whether a first-timer, a longtime regular or a member of their work family, you feel the love. Walking into Luigi's is like a warm hug, even in the era of social distancing.

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